


very, very small out there

by gingergenower



Series: do you feel lonely out there? [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/M, Fluff, Light Angst, mermaid!Emma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-08
Updated: 2016-11-08
Packaged: 2018-08-29 22:53:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8508676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gingergenower/pseuds/gingergenower
Summary: His home is such a dangerous place, but the waters wouldn’t have you believe it now, dancing in the moonlight as gentle as lips ghosting across a hand.A mermaid AU.





	

The night’s clear, stars disappearing under the horizon’s waves, and there’s only a single other light in the whole world. The _Jolly Roger_ creaks and rocks with the swelling water; the breeze scarce stirs the sails, and there’s a lone lantern alight at her helm. She drifts more than she’s steered.

For all that could be wrong, for all the ocean tried to drag her under and the sky lashed her to drowning, she yet remains. Her captain couldn’t outrun the storm, but he could survive it.

Stood at the wheel, his eyes flutter. His men sleep- they’ve earned it, they could barely stand for swaying, but he’s tiring too- the ship moving as a cradle. His home is such a dangerous place, but the waters wouldn’t have you believe it now, dancing in the moonlight as gentle as lips ghosting across a hand.

A voice, scarce above a whisper. “Killian.”

He jerks awake, and she’s to his left, perched on the rail as though she’s been there all night. Everything’s colourless, her hair as silver as the water and her tail white, rested on the decking. The mermaid won’t tell him her name.

Using his sword, he sets the wheel in place and swaggers down the steps, keeping space between them.

“Hello, lass. It’s been some time since I saw you last.”

“I haven’t been able to surface.” Everything she says sounds like a song, lilting and soft, but he knows her real song would cripple him. It already has, once.

“We’ve had worse weather.”

“Don’t.” Mermaids don’t beg. It’s not in their nature. But, she breaks rules like they’re sailor’s bones on rocks.

He swallows, clicks his hook out of its setting. “Sorry.”

“Are you well?”

“Tired. We were all cold enough, I think half the men will be ill before the week is out.”

“The nearest port is three days away.”

“I know. We’re headed that way.”

Her thumb picks at scales at her hip, webbed fingers a fist. Gaze cast downward, she doesn’t see him watching her, and the curiosity burns deeper than the fear she’s as fleeting as sea foam.

“How did you know where we were?”

“You told me where you planned to go.”

“We’re 90 knots off course.”

She swallows, and smiles to herself. “Yes.”

“How long have you been looking for us?”

“Not long at all,” she says, eyes wide and still smiling. “You’re very easy to find.”

He pauses. “There’s not a _fish_ thing I’m missing, is there?”

“No, not especially,” she says, laughing like an echoing wind chime.

Something creaks- she tenses, watching for the source of the noise. She breathes out after a time, flicking her hair out of her eyes, and it’s only damp now. He’s never seen it dry.

“You followed us, didn’t you?”

Her hand pauses. “No.”

“Lying doesn’t suit you.”

“I’m not lying.”

He rolls his eyes, his hook clicking back into place. “I’m sure you can find your own way to the ocean.”

“Killian-”

He throws the ugliest glare he can at her. “Or I can tip you into it. Your choice.”

Measuring him, seeing if she believes his resolve, her hands are gripping the rail. She could have dragged him to drowning months ago and he’d have gone willingly, he’s not afraid she’ll take his free will now. 

Her head drops, spine flexing as she curls into herself. “I followed you.”

His breath catches, he barely can muster words as she turns to drop off the side of the ship, “-no, wait-”

She blinks, and her eyes are shining.

“-me?”

“Humans drown.”

“I know.”

“If the ship-” she sighs. “I don’t want you to drown.”

“You’d let my crew die?”

“Yes.”

Her answer is too much, and yet it’s not enough, not at all. “What- _why_?”

“I don’t care about them.”

“You care about me?” Killian has often mused that sea monsters haven’t the capacity for understanding what humans mean to each other, or they wouldn’t kill people so easily. It’s only in this moment it occurs to him that if they did understand and killed anyway, that would be what made them monsters.

She looks out, at the sea. “I lost my family, a long time ago. I’ll never find them. But you’re here. I can keep you safe.”

There's challenge in his tone. “The sea will take me if that’s what my fate is.”

“Perhaps. But it won’t take you from me.”

They stare at each other, and she shrugs.

His boots thud against the wood, his strides too-heavy too-fast, and his hand catches her jaw, pressing his lips to hers. Her skin runs cold to him, slick with water under his fingertips, and he can feel her pulse flutter through her translucent skin. 

Her hands grab at him, and she kisses him as fiercely, dragging him down to press her salt-soft lips behind his ear. His hand has found her waist, pulling her close, but he freezes.

“Someone’s coming up,” he whispers.

“I’ll be near,” she says, hand resting against his cheek, a promise and a light smile in her eyes.

She drops with a faint splash, and he watches until the sea has swallowed her. 

He turns to meet whoever interrupted them.

**Author's Note:**

> 100% inspired by this soundmix: (http://fantasy.ambient-mixer.com/mermaids). For some reason I always make Emma super lonely. Sorry Emma.  
> Please let me know what you think! :)


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